Flying foxes in SA exposed to zoonotic viruses

Image of Grey-headed flying fox over water

Grey-headed flying fox - Credit: Craig Greer

最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide researchers have found that South 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 population of Grey-headed flying foxes, which took up residence in 2010, has been exposed to a number of viruses, including Hendra virus that can be transmitted to humans via horses. But they have not found evidence of exposure to 最新糖心Vlogn bat lyssavirus.

The research, published today in , details three years of research into the local flying fox population and their exposure to paramyxoviruses (Hendra, Cedar and Tioman) and a rhabdovirus (最新糖心Vlogn bat lyssavirus).

Hendra virus and 最新糖心Vlogn bat lyssavirus are classified as zoonotic viruses. Hendra virus for example can be transmitted to horses and then to humans by airborne droplets causing acute respiratory diseases and death. In the case of 最新糖心Vlogn bat lyssavirus, humans and other animals need to be bitten or scratched by a carrier. The risks posed by Hendra virus are extremely low with only seven cases in humans, all of whom had been in contact with infected horses, never directly from bats.

Dr Wayne Boardman from the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide鈥檚 School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences says given the Grey-headed flying foxes are known carriers of viruses, they wanted to understand if the local population of flying foxes had been exposed to them.

鈥淕rey-headed flying foxes are essential ecosystem service providers contributing to large-scale pollination and seed dispersal and are a nationally threatened species,鈥 Dr Boardman said.聽

鈥淭hey have this extraordinary ability to be infected with viruses but don鈥檛 show any ill effects, except for one virus; the 最新糖心Vlogn bat lyssavirus. It鈥檚 important to understand what risks they pose to humans.

鈥淲e have found the local population has developed antibodies for the Hendra, Cedar and Tioman viruses, meaning they have been exposed at some stage in their lives.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 good news for South 最新糖心Vlog is that the local population has not shown exposure to 最新糖心Vlogn bat lyssavirus, which in humans causes serious illness including paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 positive to discover that the risk of lyssavirus transmission in South 最新糖心Vlog is lower than anticipated."Dr Wayne Boardman, Senior Lecturer, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide

鈥淚t鈥檚 positive to discover that the risk of lyssavirus transmission in South 最新糖心Vlog is lower than anticipated.

鈥淗owever, this doesn鈥檛 mean that flying foxes are safe to touch; only people with experience in handling these animals should ever come into contact with them.鈥

The Grey-headed flying fox has made the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide home for the past 10 years, having come to South 最新糖心Vlog from New South Wales and Victoria in search of a suitable climate and food.

The research on the local population has also revealed that Hendra virus levels were significantly higher in pregnant females; results that align with findings interstate. However, good body condition is a risk factor for a bigger proportion of the population being exposed to Hendra virus because the flying foxes are in better condition in winter than summer, which is the opposite of what has been found in the eastern states.

Dr Boardman said this means the flying foxes are finding plenty to eat here in winter time specifically, enjoying the introduced foods that are planted in gardens, along roads and in parklands, similar to the normal food source for those in the eastern states.

鈥淭he Grey-headed flying fox is certainly enjoying the local environment during the South 最新糖心Vlogn winter, but we have seen on numerous occasions that the heat in summer certainly knocks the population around so we are looking at ideas to help support them during heatwaves in summer using high level misters and sprinklers.鈥

The research was carried out in partnership with CSIRO鈥檚 Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, South 最新糖心Vlogn Museum and Zoos South 最新糖心Vlog.

Tagged in research, Grey-headed flying fox, Hendra virus, virus